[elmos]

Hello! I have a 10-year old Jack Russell who isn’t as young and spry as he once was. He isn’t very interested in food and has a lot of food allergies which means that he is quite skinny and doesn’t have much body fat. Recently I’ve noticed that he (especially his paws and nose) feels very cold even when he’s indoors on the couch. Our apartment can get quite chilly and so I’ve been thinking that maybe he would enjoy like a thin sweater or something to keep him warm? Is this something worth getting for him or am I overreacting? Does the cold actually bother him?

 

[elmos]

For context he does have a very thick winter coat that he wears when it gets very cold (we live in sweden so the winters can get kinda nasty) and he doesn’t mind wearing that! So a sweater probably wouldn’t bother him in that sense but I’m more wondering if it’s necessary

 

[pandora]

Awww sweet. I think old dogs can bit a but like old humans who feel the cold a bit easier. Why not try a sweater and see if he is happier with it.

Im not a fan of dressing dogs for fashion but if they need a little help then sure why not

 

[LeoRose]

Like older people, older dogs tend to feel the extremes of temperature more than their younger counterparts. I'd try a sweater or lightweight fleece jacket, and see if he likes it.

 

[Shell]

If you hold up a sweater and he runs to it or tucks his head into, he probably likes it. If he shivers without one, he would probably like a sweater. If he paws at it to get it off, he probably does not want it.

I know that is not a clean answer yes or no.

I think many short coated dogs will be comfortable with a light sweater in cooler temperature even indoors if you keep s cool house. I am not in a very cold climate but I like my house about 62-65 F in winter and my pit bull likes a knitted sweater to be cozy unless she is being active.

 

[DaySleepers]

I agree, it's very dog dependent. I do know a dog who will literally bring their fleecy dog jammies to their owner to be put on, but I think most dogs are more like my small poodle, who isn't crazy enthusiastic about his jackets but will stand to let us put it on and is clearly able to stay outside longer in wet/cold weather and enjoy himself more with it on. If he had a better, more typical poodle coat we probably wouldn't bother, but his fur is very limp and soft and gets soaked from rain or snow super quickly, so between that and his small size (16" at the shoulder) we happily compensate with rain or cold weather gear designed for dogs.

But there are going to be some dogs more like my young Lagotto, who took a lot of work to even be willing to accept a lightweight harness, even though we introduced him to them positively at 8 weeks old. While we do occasionally have him wear reflective vests in high-risk areas (esp during hunting season), he's just not a dog who copes well with the way jackets or clothing feels around his torso. Thankfully he's got a much nicer, thicker coat and doesn't get cold easily at all, so it's less of an issue, but that's just luck.

So I'd definitely try out an inexpensive sweater - just as long as it's designed for dogs. I know this sounds silly, but there are some people who put their dogs in doll or children's clothes and these tend to be much more uncomfortable for dogs, since they're not cut to allow their legs to move naturally. Watch how your Jack does and let his body language tell you if he's more comfortable with an extra layer or if maybe something like providing fleece blankets or a self-warming dog bed would be more his idea of comfort.

 

[sydneynicole]

My small dog (17lbs) doesn't enjoy his sweaters/jackets, but he allows me to put them on and he will shiver without them depending on the situation. During the winter and/or when the AC is on in the summer, he needs a sweatshirt at night or I'll wake up to him shivering curled up between my legs. It's also dependent on how recent his last haircut was, but after 5 years with him I've learned his needs. Outdoors, below 40 he wears a specific jacket, below 30 he wears a specific jacket, and below 20 we usually double up. Below 10, we don't stay outside for very long, anyways. We are very active outdoors all through the winter so he has a pretty extensive winter wardrobe of jackets, hoodies, and booties.

On the other hand, my elderly dog has run hot her entire life. She's a mutt of many breeds but her coat resembles that of a GSD/Akita, so winter is her jam. This coming winter I'm facing the same issue as you - jacket or no jacket, sweater or no sweater? For my personal dog I doubt she will need anything indoors (giant breed and double coated) but she may require a jacket when outdoors below 40-30 degrees this year. She has a double coat but she is 11 years old, lean (could stand to gain a few pounds), and has moderate-severe arthritis so keeping her joints warmed up is important for me. I've already seen her seeming a bit stiff/unwilling to go outside on the cold early mornings we've been having.

Dogs can and do get cold, so don't feel dramatic for dressing your dog. See how he reacts to wearing a sweater or jacket, and maybe think about getting him things he could burrow into - a large blanket, or one of those "cuddle cave" type dog beds, if you think he would use them.

 

[Dave Markerchar]

People constantly say my I treat my dog like an accessory because he wears cloths but the truth is he's a less than a year old chihuahua and frezzes if we leave the house without a shirt and boots.

 

[Deacon.dog]

My grandma always put her Senior sheltie in a sweater (she's a rescue and was shaved down in her previous home, her fur never did grow back). Sable, the sheltie loved her sweaters so so much! My friend who owns iggies (italian greyhounds) also puts sweaters on her dogs, since they're always cold. I'll even put jackets/coats on my younger dogs when it snows. If they tolerate it, then why not (plus the sweaters are beyond adorable)